Personal B u t l e r
by Udin
Summary: Maka's father has gotten himself into a bit of trouble and because of him she finds herself hostage in a mansion working as...a personal butler?
1. The Door of Fate

**Synopsis:** Maka's father has gotten himself into a bit of trouble and because of his mishaps finds herself hostage in a superb mansion working for a rich boy as...a personal butler?

**Author's Note:** My first story in years…! Always wanted to write this kinda story in the Soul Eater world…! o Ao Because…it seemed fun. Read, review, I hope my story will be able to make you laugh and smile! ^ A^

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><p><strong>Chapter One<strong>

**The Door of Fate**

**~The New Guy is a What?~**

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><p>Before I knew it, I was surrounded with a very heavy search beam right on me. The helicopters overhead were loud enough to wake up the whole city.<p>

"W-w-w-what the heck's going on?"

Someone stepped through the hoard of soldiers and faced me.

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><p><em>Diiiinngggg doonngggg danngggg doonngggg….<em>

The school bells. I liked them. They reminded me of why I was in school. To me they sounded familiar and safe and well…comforting.

"Maka, have you chosen what you want to do?"

A tall girl with long, beautiful black hair approached me at my desk. I smiled up at her.

"Yeah, I am, Tsubaki."

"Are you going with what you chose?"

"Definitly!" I grinned confidently at her. In my hands was our future career sheet. Every student got one at the beginning of each school semester. Based on what you wanted to do, the school split everyone into math and art groups. Your class wouldn't change but your options for jobs sure would.

For me, I was definitely going for-

"What about you Tsubaki?" I asked, packing up my belongings. Tsubaki and I were the only ones in the class at the moment. Everyone had left hours ago. I stayed behind because…well, simply put, I love leaving school when the sun is setting. That was a secret though…! If anyone found out, I'd be too embarrassed for anything.

"Hmm…well…." Tsubaki gave me a nervous smile. "I'm still a bit undecided."

"Really? I thought _I_ was the last one to turn in my sheet!" I really did think that. I had taken the longest to decide even though I knew what it was that I wanted to do. "But don't worry about it," I said as I slid my chair back to stand up. It made a scratching noise when I did so. "Lots of students have trouble deciding. Even if you don't turn it in now, you can still decide next school year."

"It'll be our last year here." Tsubaki smiled. I knew that smile. It was the smile she gave when she didn't know what to do. I decided to drop the conversation.

"Want to go home?" I slung my shoulder bag over myself and headed toward the door. I expected Tsubaki to follow but she didn't. Hm?

I turned around to find her looking at her shoes, her back facing the windows. The warm sunbeams broke across the room like fluttering butterflies and danced on Tsubaki's pale skin. Her dark eyes that were highlighted with the glows of the earth looked lonely mixed in with something else that I couldn't read.

"Tsubaki?" I took a step toward her.

She shook her head slowly and then smiled. "No, it's nothing. I think I'll stay here for a bit, Maka."

"Do you want me to stay with you?"

"No, you go on. I'll catch up."

"Are you sure…?"

"Yes, I am!"

Tsubaki was still smiling even as I left her.

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><p>I sighed. I didn't want to pry into my best friend's personal affairs so I left school feeling a bit down. I put on my outdoor shoes and took slow steps toward the front gates.<p>

I was feeling a bit down myself right now.

I hated going home.

I narrowed my eyes at the concrete as if it had personally offended me.

My father would be waiting for me at home with another debt in his slimy hands. It was the same every time I went home. He would wait for me at the dining table and then cheerfully confess that he had gotten into trouble. And then I would ask how much he'd have to pay and then-

Well, let's just say things wouldn't turn out so good for him.

We were so in debt that buying food was a once a month thing. The only reason I could even afford to go to school was because my dead mother left me money, money that my father wasn't allowed to touch by law. I would never let him touch it either. That money is what would make my dream come true…! And I wanted to make it come true no matter what.

I sighed again.

I didn't want to go back home.

Death City was quiet during sunsets.

I liked this time of day very much.

I really did….

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><p>"I'm home…."<p>

I had arrived at my house…or should I say, "shack"? I had no idea. My house was literally a hole in the wall. Just imagine the worst possible living space you could and times that by ten and you'd get my house. My house wasn't even in the city. It was sitting near the outskirts of town so getting to school was always a hassle but I've gotten used to it.

By the time I got home, it was already dark. When I walked in, something cold hit the top of my head and I looked up. Ah….

The pipes were leaking again.

Great.

"Papa…?"

I noticed that the house was very quiet. Strange, my idiot father usually came home before me. Had he gone out again?

I reached up into the dark, grabbed a metal string, and pulled down. Instantly, a small light flashed on and the room lit up.

"No one's here…."

I felt a strange sense of foreboding.

I looked down…and saw it.

On the rackety dining room table…was a note.

From my father.

For some reason, I knew what the letter would say even before I read it.

I picked it up in my hands and began reading.

"_My dearest Maka. Papa has done something terribly wrong and will be leaving everything in your hands for now. Please do not be angry. In time, will you be able to forgive me?"_

It was signed with my father's scribbly handwriting. He only wrote this way to me. For everyone else, he would use his elegant one. I didn't like how he did that. It made me feel childish.

But honestly, what did he do this time?

I paused to think about it.

Well, whatever it was, it was going to be on him. I was tired of cleaning up after his mess. I went into my room and changed into my casual clothes. I was basically wearing a loose shirt and knee shorts. These were my father's clothes from when he was young. I wore them because I didn't want to waste money buying new, girl clothes.

Besides, they were actually pretty comfortable.

I went into the dining room with my school bag, prepared to do homework.

That was when everything happened.

Suddenly, the roof was lifted right up from the walls and men in black suits dropped down around me from helicopters above, sliding down long ropes. They were carrying guns? More men carrying shields smashed the thin, front door down, spilling into my house and before I knew it, I was surrounded with a very heavy search beam right on me. The helicopters overhead were loud enough to wake up the whole city.

"W-w-w-what the heck's going on?" I shouted, clutching my school bag against my chest and looking around like a trapped animal. I couldn't see the men's faces because they were wearing gas masks for some reason. Did they think my house was emitting a poisonous odor or something? Or maybe I was so used to the smell that I had unknowingly become immune to it?

I did notice, however, that they all had the same symbol on their shields, jackets, and guns. It looked like…some kind of fruit.

The soldiers stood stock still and seemed to be waiting for something. And then, someone came through from the back, letting himself be seen. Unlike the soldiers, this boy looked my age and wasn't wearing the uniform and gas mask. Instead he was wearing a very nice looking black suit with white gloves. He was holding what looked like a file of someone.

"This is his child, no doubt about it." His golden eyes looked me up and down. I couldn't help but think that this boy looked extremely handsome…. He had golden eyes that seemed to melt the viewer's heart, black, silky hair with three white stripes, milky white skin and a voice that made me weak in the knees….

W-wait! There was no time to be gawking at someone! I needed to know what the heck was going on!

"Hey! Who are you and what are you doing here?" I demanded in my toughest voice.

The boy looked at me with no emotion. "We'll question this one about the wig at the master's mansion. For now…" we shared a split second of eye contact, "capture."

"W-wait a minute!" I shouted, sensing danger.

The boy didn't look back as he turned around and walked away. A half second later, after he had disappeared, the soldiers ganged up on me. I was ready to fight to the death but before I knew it, something hit me hard on the head and I was out.

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><p>"…ke up…. …w…p…."<p>

Ugh…who the heck was that…?

"w..k…up…"

Shut up…shut up…let me sleep…it's too early for this….

"Wake the hell up!"

"W-what?" My eyes snapped open and a sharp pain attacked my head. "Ow…!" I braced myself through the pain, gritting my teeth.

Finally, after breathing in and out a few times, I lifted my eyes and looked around.

The first thing I noticed was the room I was in. I was in a dark room, with a single lamp hanging on the ceiling and shining down on me like I was some criminal. There was a metal table with a plastic cup filled with water in front of me. Other than that, the room was very empty.

I realized that I was thirsty after looking at the cup of water and made to move my hand to grab it. But I couldn't. "W-what…? What? What?"

I was tied up in the chair! Why was I tied?

I wriggled around but it was no use. Whoever tied me did a fantastic job…sarcasm intended.

"Where am I? Why am I tied up!"

"Shut…_up_!" Someone slammed their hands down on the metal table, making a very loud banging sound. The plastic cup toppled over, spilling water on the table and the floor. "I'm the one asking questions, not you!"

I looked at whoever it was that talking.

It was another boy. He wore a black suit that would have looked nice if he had buttoned up the front and did his tie. White gloves, spiky blue hair, and he looked like a punk. Muscles, toned body, cocky grin…this guy had an, "I'm better than you _and_ God," kind of attitude.

"I am God in this room and when I am God, you low life will listen to me even if you want to or not! Got it!" he shouted at the top of his lungs.

Ah…I was right.

I just hoped this room was sound proof. I wouldn't want this idiot's voice bothering anyone else.

I sighed, feeling annoyed.

"All right now!" The boy folded his arms and grinned. "What the heck did Kid want me to ask you again…? Ow!" Suddenly, the boy jerked to the side as if someone had punched him.

…was he going crazy?

The boy pulled something out of his ear and I realized that he had been wearing an earphone. This was…an interrogation room!

I could hear a static kind of voice shouting from the microphone. _"Black Star! Stop fooling around and start interrogating! Make sure to go in order from question one to question eight! Do them in that perfect order!"_

Hm? Where have I heard this handsome voice before…?

"What? But I want to ask my own questions now," the blue haired boy complained, holding up the tiny microphone.

"_Black Star! You ask the questions in my perfect order or else I'll tell master!"_

"What? Go ahead! I'm not scared!"

"_Bla-!"_

"Anyway." The boy, whose name I figured was Black Star, crushed the microphone between his fingers and dropped it to the ground. Whoever it was that was on the other end of the line must have been steaming.

Black Star slammed his hands down on the table again. "You! Tell me your name!"

"Why should I?" I snapped.

"Because I am God and as a lowly human you must answer my question."

I stayed silent.

"Answer my question!" Black Star flipped the table and it lifted over my head, landing behind me.

Whoa…. Calm down?

"Listen kid, you're in a lot of trouble with my master's family so you better speak up or else someone you know will get hurt," Black Star said, moving his face right in front of mine. I didn't want to lose, so I stared back.

I wasn't sure who he was talking about, but I didn't want to take the chance. He could have been telling the truth.

"Maka Albarn," I said with gritted teeth.

"Okay, Maka. Do you know why you're here?"

"No, I don't."

"Let me clue you in then, since you seem pretty stupid."

I took offense to that but didn't say anything.

The boy kept talking. "Your dad, Spirit Albarn, stole money from my master's company."

"He what?" I couldn't believe this! My father…stole money!

"Yes, he did. And he ran away as soon as he caught wind we were going after him. So we decided to hold his only child hostage until he comes back with the money."

"I can't believe papa did this! Do you know where he is?" I asked, my voice rising.

"Of course not. If we did, we'd have finished him off already."

"Trust me, if I found him first, I'd finish him off myself."

Black Star looked at me with a face I thought wasn't possible for him. He looked…I couldn't explain how he looked but he didn't seem to like my answer.

He didn't dwell on it, though.

"So there you have it. Until your stupid dad comes back with the money, you'll be staying here in my master's mansion, working day and night for him. You'll answer his every whim, you'll obey his every command, and no matter what, you can't leave this place."

"I have school-"

"You quit just today."

"What?"

"Are you done?" Black Star seemed bored already.

"Is this real…?" I didn't want it to be.

My dream…

What was I going to do?

I was starting to panic.

"It's real," Black Star said without remorse. "We don't know where your dad is but we do know that you're important to him. If you're as important to him as we've found out, then he'll have known we took you."

He put his hand into his pocket and brought out a pointed metal star. He threw it at me. What the heck? I was being attacked? I shut my eyes and prepared for the stab.

But it didn't come.

Instead, I felt the ropes around me loosen. Black Star had cut me free. His shuriken was stabbed into the wall behind me.

"Follow me," he ordered.

I didn't want to but also didn't want his "master" to be doing any harm to my friends. My father was another thing.

Who the heck was this "master" anyway?

Black Star opened the only door in the room. I expected to see people in this room but I was wrong. It was empty.

"I'll show you to master now. But before I do…" Black Star fished something out from his pocket again and slapped something down on my head.

It was a hat.

He shoved my hair under the hat for some reason. But he didn't do it gently.

"Don't show master your stupid hair style," he said.

"What? Why? It's _my_ hair, not his," I said gruffly.

"Just shut up and follow me!"

I glared at Black Star as he led me out of the interrogation area.

"Where's your master?" I asked, trying not to feel too scared.

"He's your master now too, idiot," Black Star replied with, looking over his shoulder at me.

I grumbled. I refused to let anyone be my master.

We stepped into what looked like a very grand entrance. The walls themselves looked expensive and I was pretty sure even the air cost money. I felt extremely out of place with my father's left over clothes.

Despite the mansion's size, the place was empty. Every hall was filled with silence; every corner watered down with a kind of…loneliness.

This place felt a bit ethereal.

"Black Star, I'll show Maka to master." The boy with golden eyes had just come out from one of the thousand rooms. He walked over to us, not looking at me.

"Sure, go ahead. I was getting bored anyway." Black Star shrugged and disappeared down the hall.

I was left alone with the handsome boy. Great….

Without meaning to, my heart was thumping hard against my chest.

_Stop it!_

"Maka."

I jumped when he said my name. "W-what?"

"This way." He led me up a staircase. He seemed a lot more serious than Black Star. And I still didn't know his name.

We walked in silence until he finally stopped in front of a pair of doors at the very end of a long hallway. He looked at me, locking his eyes with mine. He seemed to want to say something, but stopped himself. If you want to say something then please, go ahead. It'd sure break this awkward silence.

He turned back to the door and knocked on it.

"Master, Maka Albarn is here."

"Come in," answered his master.

The golden eyed boy grabbed the expensive looking doorknob and twisted it, pushing it open gently. I felt my own door of fate be opened as well. In fact, I could have been going on a limb here, but this door must have been the door of fate.

Although, I was highly inclined to say that there was no such thing as fate.

"This is Maka Albarn, master," he said.

I stood where I was, staring at this "master" dead in the eyes.

He was sitting behind a beautiful oak desk carved with mysterious figures and letters and symbols. It didn't look like any ordinary desk.

"Maka Albarn." The master said my name as if tasting every letter in his mouth. He brushed his fingers though his white, messy hair, his ruby red eyes scanning me over. I sensed something from him, I didn't know what, but it wasn't a good feeling.

"Leave," he ordered the golden eyed boy, and the boy did.

Now it was just the two of us…

…the master…

…and me.

"Why are you standing there like an idiot?" the master said sluggishly. His voice was calm and lazy.

I didn't answer, but I did step into the room. Somehow, the door was able to close by itself behind me.

I tried not to feel nervous.

My heart was thumping against my chest hard.

The master stood up from his chair and walked over to me, stopping just a foot away. I felt the tension in the room rise up like a volcano on the verge of exploding. The smallest noise would set it off. And then all hell would break loose.

I wasn't sure what this kid was capable of, really. He was the same age as me, maybe a year older, I wasn't sure. But I did know that Black Star and the other boy with golden eyes called him "master" so he had to have some power.

"Who are you?" I asked.

"Soul Evans. I'm the president's son."

"What is this place exactly?"

He sounded bitter as he answered my question. "This is my mansion."

"_Your_ mansion? Are you telling me this entire place belongs to you?" I scoffed.

"Yeah." He sounded indifferent about that.

A kid owning a mansion this large and not caring should have been against the law. I thought about my own house.

"Who's the president?" I asked.

"My father."

"Who's your father?"

"At his own place. Now, enough with the questions." Soul began pacing in circles around me like a vulture did when it wanted to make sure whatever it was going to eat was dead. "I guess you'll do."

"Do? Do for _what_?" I backed away from him, ready to defend myself if he tried anything.

And then he said those words that changed my entire life.

"My personal butler." Soul's words were slow in my mind. With each word he said, I could hear the clock strike midnight.

Was the magic starting?

Or was I finally waking up into reality?

"Per…" I started slowly, my mind racing. "Personal…butler?"

There was just one missing important factor in this all.

I'm a girl!


	2. The Silver Fork

**Author's Note:** Ohohoho, finally, an update. I like where this story's going so far and I hope to keep updating, even if it's a little at a time. Please bear with me and thank you very much for reading! Hopefully my story made you smile or laugh. ^_^

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><p><strong>Chapter Two<strong>

**The Silver Fork**

**~Pink and Gold is a Good Combination?~**

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><p>"Hold on!" I cried, feeling a huge amount of confusion rising up.<p>

I couldn't be a butler because I was a girl! I'd have to be a maid or something! But I didn't even want to be a maid! Did they think I was a boy? How? Why? When? This was confusing me to no end.

I wanted answers and I wanted them now.

"It's too late," said Soul, ignoring my panicked stricken face. He probably thought I was only worried about working for him. Well, he was wrong. "Everything's been done. You work for me now, Maka."

I gaped at him. "But I can't-"

"You'll be getting your uniform once you leave my office. Kid will tell you what you have to do," Soul interrupted, sounding annoyed now. He sighed as if there was a pesky fly on his desk that he was too lazy to swat away.

"Wai-" I started but was once again interrupted.

This time someone opened the door.

I turned around and found Black Star and Kid looking at me. I knew why they were here. They were here to take me away into a life of servitude. Well, I didn't want to be like them!

I wasn't going to serve under anyone!

"Take Maka away from me now," ordered Soul.

"Yes, master," complied Kid.

"_Fiiine_," groaned Black Star.

"Maka, this way, please." Kid motioned his hand toward the door, waiting for me to move.

But I didn't.

I stood where I was.

"Don't make us take you by force!" Black Star grabbed my arm but for some reason flung backward as if I had hurt him.

"No!" I shouted. "Wait just a minute!"

"What now?" sighed Soul.

"How much did my father take from your company? How do you even know he has a child?" I shouted. "This is ridiculous! I'm not going to let myself get caught up in that man's mess anymore! Now let me go right now or else I'm calling the police!"

"The police are backing us up on this case," Soul said monotonously.

"…what?" I breathed out.

"Your father is a criminal who has been on the run for several years now. The police have been tracking him down with my father's help and they seem to think that keeping his child in captivity will bring him out of his hiding place. Or at least his new one," Soul added.

On the run? Several years? But my father and I had been living….

I thought about where we lived for a moment. Outskirts, hidden behind tall trees and bushes, away from people…. Had I actually been living in a hiding spot without knowing it…?

My fists shook. "My father…is a criminal? That can't be true. He worked at a bar-"

"That bar was the headquarters of his criminal group. It's been burned to ashes by them, though."

"…To get rid of evidence?"

Soul shrugged. "Probably."

This was too much information at one time. Papa was a thief? This wasn't the first time he's stolen money? Now that I think of it, he did always have huge bursts of cash every now and then. But he always said the tips were good that night. I never even gave it a second thought! That was because I…

I never thought of papa as someone…bad.

Now he's on the run and the people he's stolen money from have captured me and are forcing me to work for them. As a butler. Now I had to ask about that.

"Why a butler?" I asked, looking at Black Star's clothes.

"Ah?" Black Star was drilling his pinky finger into his right ear. "Because there's nothing else to do, duh."

"Black Star, don't give Maka false impressions about our work." Kid hit the top of Black Star's head with the side of his hand. "We are to protect the young master at all cost and maintain his living quarters as well as keep him company."

Soul didn't say anything to support or deny Kid's description of the job. He had an unreadable expression on his face.

…Huh?

"But why only butlers?" I shook my head and furrowed my brows. "I mean, why aren't there any maids?"

"See?" piped up Black Star. "I knew he'd be clueless about everything! At least now I'm not the only one who wants to check out a hot girl."

"That's not what I meant!" I screeched.

"Then what the hell did you mean!" Black Star shouted back.

"I meant why there weren't any females at all in this mansion! Regardless of physical appearance!"

Suddenly, all three of them shut up. They looked away from me, as if I had said something insulting. …What? What did I say? Was I not supposed to ask about why there weren't any girls in the place?

"Girls aren't allowed here," said Soul simply, though his voice was low. "If there was a girl here, my parents will dispose of her. Doesn't matter if she came by accident or on purpose, she'll never live past the front doors."

My stomach did a kind of churn that didn't feel good. "…Why…aren't they allowed here?"

"That's for me to know only," Soul said curtly. I frowned at him. "Kid, Black Star, get on with it." He turned his back toward me but before he did, I thought I caught a glimpse of a look of pain on his face.

I suddenly felt sorry for him. I had a feeling that Soul rarely went outside.

Black Star flicked my forehead and I yelped in pain. Rubbing the red spot, I glared at him with watery eyes. "H-hey! What the hell was that for!"

"To bring you back to earth, duh. You were spacing out like a love struck girl!" Black Star stuck out his tongue and then distorted his face with his hands just to annoy me.

I couldn't help but blush pink and panic when he said "girl". "Liar! I didn't look anything like a girl!"

If what Soul said was true, his parents would not be happy to find that I was a girl…. Didn't this mean I would have to pretend to be a boy until my father was found? I was sure I'd be let go then.

"If…" I started, just before I left with Black Star and Kid, "If my father is found, will I be able to go back home?"

"That was the agreement my parents made with the police. So yes," said Soul calmly.

"Thank God." I sighed in relief. If my father was found, I would be able to give him a piece of my mind, and go back to fulfilling my dream. Whatever happened to him after that…

I couldn't think about it. Or more like didn't know how to think about it.

The doors closed behind me.

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><p>"This will be your room for now," said Kid, opening one of the doors in the hall. He held it open for me and as I walked past him, I couldn't help but feel his strong presence against me as well as take in a hint of his smell. He smelled good…. Wait! Why was I acting like a pervert! Get it together, Maka!<p>

I quickly walked into the room after that embarrassing moment and my eyes grew wide. The room was beautiful! The furniture was all so exquisite and there was even a balcony and my own bathroom! My own bathroom…! Thank God! If I had to bathe with these two they'd know for sure I was a girl.

Wait a minute….

Why _didn't_ they know I was a girl?

I turned around to Kid who seemed to not have considered me looking at him. His eyes grew wide with surprise but were kind nonetheless, much different than when we first met.

"Yes, Maka?" he said politely.

"Uh…so just for the sake of knowing, how did Soul's company find my information?" I tried to sound casual.

"We pulled out your father's information, of course. He had several different documents with several different identities, but we managed to track him down. Families are always linked…through documentations of course."

"S-so you know all my information, right? Like my name and my age and my g-gender and birthday…?"

"Of course." Kid suddenly pulled out a piece of paper from his pocket and began reading from it. "Maka Albarn, son of Spirit Albarn. Age sixteen, born on April sixteenth. Hobbies are reading, studying, and puzzles. And…" Kid folded up the paper and looked at me with kind eyes, "Your mother is no longer alive, correct?"

I turned around and forced a smile. I didn't want to talk about her with a stranger. "Yeah, she died long ago. This room is incredible! Really, it is! It's bigger than my whole house."

Black Star was sleeping on my bed but I didn't care at the moment.

"Ah, about that," started Kid.

"Hm?" I turned over my shoulder to look at him, making sure he saw my smile. I didn't want him to know I was sad. Not because I didn't want to trouble him, but because I didn't want to embarrass anyone.

"I apologize for breaking into your home like that." Kid bowed deeply at me and I began waving my arms in front of him, blushing slightly.

"N-no! It was your job, I can understand. And if you hadn't, I would have ran away anyway and you would've gotten in trouble." I laughed nervously. What was going on with this conversation?

"Actually, you wouldn't have gotten away," said Kid matter-of-factly.

"Why is that…?" I didn't like the sound of his voice.

"I had several soldiers stationed all around the area and some even throughout the city. Just in case, you know." He smiled brightly.

"R-right…."

"You'll find your new clothes in your closet. Tomorrow, make sure to deliver master his breakfast. He will be expecting you."

"…All right."

"Black Star!" Kid walked over to Black Star and slapped him awake. Black Star awoke with a jolt.

"Wuzzah doing?" growled Black Star though some of his sleep was still on him.

"You still have things you need to do and I need to prep for later. Now get out and leave Maka in peace."

"Fine, fine! Ya don't have to push me!" Black Star jumped off my bed and while stretching, yawned very loudly.

The two boys headed for the door but Black Star stopped and stared at me.

"W-what?" I asked tentatively.

Black Star, without saying anything, walked right up to me and swiped away the hat he had forced upon me earlier. "This is my hat so I'll have it back, thank you!" He put it on his own head.

My hair fell down messily over my shoulders, the familiar weight back. Black Star again stared at me.

"What now?" I wanted him to leave already.

As if in slow motion, he raised his hand and softly touched my hair, his fingers gliding down the strands. I could feel his breath on my lips and the heat from his skin. His eyes were focused on my hair and looked gentle for once. Suddenly, he looked at me. I wasn't sure what to do so I stayed quiet, a moment of silence passing between us.

And then he flipped my hair in my face, laughing his head off. "Why do you keep your hair long? That's friggen' hilarious! Stop trying to be cool like a samurai and just chop it off already." He left my room, slamming the door behind him.

I felt humiliated. Why? I had no idea.

Out of sheer frustration and embarrassment, I jumped onto my bed and buried my face into my pillows.

Tomorrow morning, I would have to serve "master" his breakfast. This felt so unreal. Was I in some kind of movie? Well, I didn't audition for this kind of life.

After poking through every inch of my new room, I found my uniform in the closet, right where Kid had mentioned it would be. It looked like the standard black suit and white gloves kind of deal, and it was my size.

I stared at it, thinking over what to do. I touched my hair and grit my teeth.

If I was to keep living here peacefully, I would need to be more aware of my gender. I couldn't take any chances. My father had done enough already and Soul's parents didn't seem to like him at all. What would they do to me if they found out Spirit Albarn's child was actually a girl?

I headed to the bathroom and grabbed a pair of scissors.

My heart beat rapidly. My hands were shaking.

I didn't want this.

I had wanted a different life, a different ending, but now there was nothing I could do.

But I wasn't surrendering. I would never surrender.

This was only another chapter in my story, and even if this ending wasn't what I wanted, the next beginning would be mine to create.

I grabbed my hair and began my story again.

* * *

><p>That night, my sleep was basically me tossing and turning and dreaming about everyone finding out I was a girl in the most random ways. It's a bit ironic because I was so brave when I had cut my hair, and now I'm shaking and can't even hold up the silver tray without the silverware on top clattering.<p>

"Calm down!" Black Star slapped my back and I almost dropped everything in one fell swoop.

"Gah! What was that for!" I shouted, glaring at the blue haired butler.

We were inside the glamorous kitchen where only one chef and his assistant worked in. Today, they were out in the back peeling potatoes so I couldn't get to talk with them much. They seemed friendly, though.

Black Star had helped me locate the kitchen after finding me lost in one of the many hallways of the mansion. He laughed his head off but I was grateful nonetheless. Bastard….

He was surprised to find me with short boy hair but seemed to approve of the new look, saying it was more me. I wasn't sure how to react to that so I simply looked away. It definitely felt more free, having short hair and all. But I knew I'd miss my long hair sooner or later.

It felt strange to be wearing the same clothes as him but I couldn't deny: They felt extremely comfortable. They were made with some kind of fabric that kept its internal temperature the same throughout so it never got too hot or too cold. It also deflected wind, was water proof, could stand up to extreme heat and cold, and the gloves basically acted like shields for your hands while at the same time not restricting your movements like most gloves.

Yeah, they were top quality.

"To calm you down, duh. All you're doing is delivering breakfast to master." Black Star yawned loudly, stretching his arms up. I bet he went to sleep late.

"Well, thanks, I guess," I grumbled. He hadn't exactly calmed me down, but he didn't make me feel worse so I guess that was good.

"I'm always here to help the weak and poor," he replied, lifting his chin up. I had to shut my eyes to shield them from the sparkles emitting from his huge ego.

"Right…." I sighed and walked away, heading out the door.

"Make sure not to spill or drop anything! It'll be on your head if it happens!" Black Star called after me.

I groaned. Was Soul this strict about his breakfast? How did he ever eat then?

Since it had only been last night and fresh in my memory, I directed myself down the hall to Soul's office. The place was quiet again, as if time was always standing still. One could hear a pin drop. I missed the hum drum of the city.

My hand reached out to open the door to Soul's office when it suddenly opened, surprising me. I jumped back a little and the heavy silver fork slid out of place.

Kid looked equally surprised, a duster in his hand and a pink apron wrapped around his body.

"Maka? What were you doing?"

"I was…that apron…." I wasn't ready to see him in a pink apron. Even if it was over his uniform, that color of pink…and the duster….

I burst out laughing.

Kid's eyes widened and for the first time, I saw him struck speechless.

"W-what is so funny, Maka?" he asked honestly.

"T-that-that outfit…!" I spluttered, unable to breathe. "I can't believe how well it suits you…!"

"W-well…thank you, I think…." Kid didn't seem to know what to do. Poor kid.

I wiped a tear from my face and took deep breaths. Unlike Black Star's slap on the back, _this_ was able to calm my nerves.

I smiled brightly at him. "Thank you, Kid! I feel a lot calmer now!"

"Uh, you're welcome…" Kid replied, still confused.

"But now I really need to give this to Soul. So can I get through, please?" I felt so much happier and calm, it was amazing. Kid really pulled through!

All that nervous energy was suddenly, instantly, miraculously gone!

"Master is in his room, I was only cleaning up his office for when he returns here for work," Kid explained.

Ah, that would explain the apron and feather duster.

"Master's room is the door on the right before this one."

I thanked Kid again, bowed deeply, and headed back to Soul's actual room. Before I knocked, I realized I hadn't fixed the silver fork on the tray yet. I grinned mischievously.

No, I wouldn't fix this. Even if it was a small act of aggression, these people needed to know that I wouldn't let myself be pinned down. I would live by their rules but I would not submit to them.

"Maka!"

I looked back to Soul's office. Kid was still there, and he had a smile on his face.

"Nice hair cut."

I blushed slightly, but beamed at him.

Taking this positive energy with me, I knocked on the door and heard Soul's voice.

"Come in."


End file.
